Batter
Cupcakes have a soft spongy texture due to their fluffy batter and generally are sweeter, while muffins have a dense and moist texture.
Ingredients
Generally, cupcakes follow the basic recipe of a regular old cake, where the usual All-purpose flour is the norm and is used as one of the main ingredients. However, when it comes to muffins, wholesome ingredients such as wholewheat, oat and nut flour are used. Regarding muffins, gluten-free, dairy and egg-free options are popular and readily available compared to the former.
Frosting / Decoration
This is by far the quickest way to recognise the difference between a cupcake and muffins. Cupcakes generally use more sugar, fat and butter, feature toppings such as icing sugar and sprinkles, and are typically accompanied by a decorative element. A quick and simple way to decorate is to have a whipped topping. Some cupcakes, such as compote or jam, include sweet filling at their centers. In contrast, muffins are more home-made, with a dome-like shape and tend to rise more.
Quick Fact: What is the difference between an English Vs. an American muffin!?
The English muffin is yeast rise, popularly known as 'quick bread’ because of the use of baking soda instead of yeast. The English muffins are much closer to an English crumpet, like a spongier pancake, than a standard muffin. American muffins have set the stage for the notable dome-shaped muffins often accompanied by chocolate chips, raisins or dry fruits.
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